The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-03-16
LATE FORGIVENESS.


For many years Uncle Jake had keptH
little tavern near one Of The inlets where
the seq breaks through the loDg sand
b9r into the Great South Bay. at
. point about fifteen miles from New
York
Of q pleasant Sunday In Summon Il
WAS q pretty lively resort. Uncle Jake
made q foyial host and people used to /.
cay that he owed his good health In
great measure to the frequency With
which he drank 70 It himself: Most OF
the fishing parties from the harhors
siong the BAY stopped here for . clam.
bake and : cocktail; yachtsnnen an.
chorod near the inlet and sportsmen
would put up ct the tavern for week or
two ut q time.
but In winter It was dreary spot.
The monotonous turmoil OF the surf
wac broken only now and then by the
shr!.l cry Of the gull or the shrleking
of the wind as 1t whiried across the bar.
During the long storms only an. occa-
stonal wrecker or q patrol from the l!fe-
saving station visited the place. and e
any time In Winter party Ike ours was
A real Bohemian freak had brought Us
down TO Uncle Jakc's that night. The
evening before dozen OF us artists had
met at little reunion In the studio Of
one OF orr number, and one OF US seeing
a sketch Of Uncle 1ake's tavern on tho
easel. had proposed paying him Win.
tcr's visit.
We ali knew Uncle Jake, and the idea
of q Winters visit to him was too much
OF . novelty to be reatsted. So We sst
out for hatavern The ncxt day, aEtl ar.
rived there before night time. rreia
Jake knew that the trip across the hay,
hal bean a rough one. So lie started
rearing wood FIRE; and when VIC had
finished supper he put steaming bowl
OF punch on the table.
Butdespite his attention and the jolllty
OF our party, he wasn't In tho beat OF
spirits, Mob that he didn't dip his glass
into the punch bowl pretty often
but he seemed moody aud didn't talk
much.
His low spirits seemed also TO have
depressing effect on Samson, ais big
mastiff, who was about as well known
along The coast as Uncle Jake himself.
Usually he barkeda friendly w.lcclnets,
every one who came tosthe house. FIT
he had been sullen andsllent all tho e,en-
ing and had sat near Uncle Jake.
resting his head on his masters 'knee
and now and then looking up wlstfaIly
at him.
had known Uncle Jake and HE big
dog longer than the others had, aud
noticed that something was wrong.
The old man seemed glad enough to
see me again and made me sit nsxt to
him. But felt that since had been
there some change had come over him
and the dog and the old place and at
times he looked as though he would
Hike to tell nae something but hesitated
on account OK the others.
remembered a pretty, bright-eyed
lass, about IL years old, when l last
saw her, who was at the tavrrn In for.
mer years. and whom we used TO call
Uncle Jake's little gill; She n,n,is
herself handy about the plaza. and was
so simple and graceful In her bearing
that ehe was = favorite With all who
went there. The sun had Drowned her
fnco and arms, and the wind had
played with her fair hair until II hung
over her forehead like tangled sun
beams.
She was tall and llthesome. and az
strong as she was graceful. Oftsn.
~ ZEN SHE ssae Alero Gisl OF 70 Or AZ
dad Seen her pulling her skin across
the bay and mailing the old fishermen as
they secluded past In their smacks.
Many time they would lay 10 and
take her aboard aud tow her skiff home;
and then she would take the helm from
the skipper. trim the sheet and shout
with glee as the spray came dashing over
the bow.
wondered what had become OF her
and aeked Uncle JafSi, but he didn't seem
TO hear my Question, though the dog
sprang % his feet and roanled about I'M
easily before he stink back to his mas
ter's feet. Iwas about to ask the ques-
ton again. when one Of our party pro-
poaed song retz.,&
While they gatheredi In q group around
the old piano In the corner the old nan
stole quietly to tho door Of another room
and beckoned me to follow him. As i
Joined him he was STOPPING over an old
bureau fuInbling among some papers.
while the dog. who had slipped in after
him. watched him intently until he put
his baud on tin-type which no drew out
and showed me. II was the picture Of :
child, and Ia the features recognized
. Uncle Jake's littlegirl.'
In the next room some one was play
ing a jangling accompaniment and the
rest were shouting o boisterous song.
thought then would be o good time to
ask him what had become Of the girl
whose childish features we wero looking
at. so Inquired. by way OF introduction.
Khe Rad ever been married. II was to
this he had replied:
:" No. Mister. / amt spliced, nor
never was. But yer see," he continued.
as though lie knewswhat / was driving
at. It's uncommon lonesome here IN
Winter, an many time when I've heard
o. some young one ashore yonder as
wasn't cared for OF home. I've got its
folks to let me take 1t out here with me.
The children kind o. cheered me up
durin the long Winter evenin's. an when
Summer came I'd ask to have 'em stay n
bit longer. The little ones would Reg
real hard too, for made good deal
of EN-, and they thought kind o well o
me for 1t.
Some o them stayed a few year., but
as they got big an could be handy At
home their folks fetched 'em away fr,nl
me; ali so at last they all went; all bst
little Maggie, her as they use.i 70 call
Uncle Jake's little girl. 1t was had
homo I'd took her from, All afore sised
bs.sf, with ME long her father wan,ieresi
OF an her mother died In the poorhouses
There wasn't no one to take her from me
then, so she stayed here an right glad
| was 70 keep her.
She Was smart. likely little thipg,
| an thought as I'd care for her an'sIRS
by bit o. money for her. When she
first esline here she was no more than 8,
| an when yer saw her two summers ago.
| she was goin' on IL.
| Yer kno,y Maggie was as gocd-look-
| iif girl az yer could find hereaboVt@.
a,i many Teller az has'come here With
| his boat In Summer has been kind O. took
wi her. Twas kind d proud 10 have 'eso
SO too. for I'd precious good opinion
| o Maggie. an I liked to see em back ms
up. II weren't every one she'd taketos
neither; for she'd make her choice Hike
any lady, would Maggie.
II let her 60 sailin' whenever she
| wanted. She was good girl an COM
fort to me Summer and Winter. was
Maggie.
It's goln' on three years now, Mis-
| Ter, that little after the June Maggie
| got 10 be eighteen. there was young
teller as came over here TO stay he
| was good lookIn' char. strong an quick.
| an as handy IN q boat a. any one !
! ever see. He seemed 10 kind o like y
| here.
'.In the bcginnin' he hired ono o nay
boats By the week. an when he'd had 4
| that way about four weeks he took It